3 Month Pictures - Amazing Little Men

Cooper & Carter have to be some of the most photogenic 3-month-olds I've ever seen.We had their 3 month pictures taken last week and they are amazing!
 Amber Black of Amber Black Photography is just an outstanding photographer. She can get the boys into some of the best poses and make them smile all while holding the pose. I don't know how she does it, but I'm sure glad she does.
So without further hesitation... here are some of the boys' 3 month pictures...


One of my favorites. What a gorgeous picture!

  

  

  Carter

  Cooper

  Carter (top) Cooper (bottom)

  Look closely at the following picture. Amber created this one just for daddy.Read the caption on the picture and then look closely at the space between their heads.Its Cam Newton - Auburn's Heisman Winning Quarterback. His number is '2'What a GREAT picture!!

  Two cool cats

  Cooper (l) and Carter (r)

  Carter making a funny face

  Carter

  Cooper

  Cooper

  How perfect!

 Carter thuggin'... lol

  What kind of thug smiles, Coop?

   I hope you enjoyed these as much as we have. We have two gorgeous little men.We're the luckiest parents in the world. What would we do without them? I can't imagine life without them. What did we ever do before they were born... besides relax and sleep? :)  Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

BabySense Infant Movement Monitor Review

 We were recently given the opportunity to perform an in-home review of the BabySense V Infant Movement Monitor made by HiSense. What a great product!
We have another monitor that we borrowed from a member of our family but we needed two of them since we have twins. The one we have borrowed is a different brand but it works on the same principle. And since this is a review of the BabySense I will keep the other monitor out of the equation...
The BabySense comes with everything pictured here:

That's it! Nothing fancy. It comes with everything you need to monitor your baby while sleeping.We started sleeping better the very same night we set this monitor up. It has a small green light that blinks every time it detects movement. If you happen to get up in the middle of the night and wonder if your baby is still breathing, just look at the blinking light and lay right back down. I love it!
All you do it place a mat (or both of them) underneath your baby's mattress - making sure it is laying on a very firm surface (mattress support springs may be too shaky). Run the wire from the sensor mat to the main unit, replace the mattress, power the unit on and lay your baby down to sleep. Wahlah!! Instant peace of mind. 
Question: How will it alert me if my baby has stopped breathing?Answer: Simple. By a very loud, blaring siren! If your baby stops breathing for 20 seconds, the unit will 'click' 2-3 times letting you know that it is about to go off (very good idea seeing as how I forget to turn it off when getting up in the middle of the night to feed). If after those few 'clicks' you haven't responded, the siren will alarm. There will be NO mistaking the fact that this unit is trying to alert you. It is all-or-nothing with this thing. :) It is either completely silent or ringing in your eardrums. Please see the below picture and note the speaker holes. That's a lot of speaker. The sound it makes is unmistakable!

Another plus about this unit is that it only has one wire - not 3-5 like other models. It is battery operated so there's no need to find a spare outlet. One wire from the mats to the main unit is all it takes. Also, the main unit clips right onto the side of any bassinet or crib so it takes up literally NO space! Other models take up space with their main units AND their distance monitors. The less clutter in this house the better.
There is a red indicator light that lets you know when the batteries are getting low, but as of yet our hasn't lit up and we've had it going every single night for the past month. I'd say that's pretty darn good.  The only thing I didn't 100% enjoy about it was the two 'clicks' it makes when powering the unit on. They are about a half-second apart and have startled the child who was just laid into the bassinet a couple of times. It is nothing more than a sound to let you know it has powered on but it is kind of loud - especially in a completely dark, quiet room. Not so much during the day. But if that is the only thing I wasn't happy with then we did pretty well. We love this unit and we are so blessed and honored to have been allowed to review it. We just wish we had another one so we could give the borrowed one back to its owner.
 Thanks BabySense! You guys have a very well made, wonderful product on your hands and you should be very proud! You've given parents everywhere the peace of mind they crave so desperately. God Bless!      Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Quick Video of the Boys

 Cooper (left) and Carter (right) just chillin' in the floor.Both of them being happy at the same time is rare right now so I thought I'd get it on camera to remind myself that it CAN happen. I'll watch it when my nerves are fried and need a refresher. :) This week Carter and Cooper will be 12 weeks old... already!?They are holding their heads up very well although not perfect yet. Still just a little wobbly.
They've found their hands and chew/suck on them a lot.
Sleeping is getting better. Only getting up once in the middle of the night with each of them. Although they're up for good between 4:30 and 5:40. Not complaining though... its getting better week-by-week. 

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Two Beautiful Boys (Pics)

 

The pictures say it all!

  Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Elite Sheet Review

Do you or someone close to you have problems with pain?Are you or someone you know pregnant?Are you a restless sleeper?Maybe you have some excess weight that makes it hard to sleep...
If you answered "Yes" to ANY of these questions then you NEED the Elite Sheet!   As you all know, my wife, Miranda, has recently given birth to two wonderful little boys. They are the absolute lights of our lives. They weren't always so wonderful though...
 Before you GASP... What I mean is that while she was pregnant, Miranda had a LOT of trouble sleeping. I woke up almost every time she tried to move because it was so hard for her that she moaned, grunted and slung her body to try to get it into the position she wanted it. Sometimes it worked. Other times she wasn't so lucky.  After witnessing this for a month or so I decided to try and do something to help. I researched a few different ideas - all of which led to a dead end or to the conclusion that it was a gimmick.   Then out of the blue I saw a search result that caught my attention. Out of curiosity I clicked the link and it took me to the Elite Sheet website. I read every single page on the site and after doing so I knew I had to get this item for my wife. Since I have a pregnancy/family-oriented blog, I contacted the owner of the site and humbly requested a product review. A day or so later I got an e-mail agreeing to the request. I was thrilled. 

 (image taken from the Elite Sheet website)  A few days later, I had a package in the mail from Utah. It was the Elite Sheet. Within minutes our old fitted sheet was replaced by this new item. Folks, let me tell you with absolutely NO exaggeration - the Elite Sheet does exactly what it says it does!!  The material may, at first, seem a little flimsy. But after the first night you will see that looks mean nothing.This sheet is a miracle. The middle panel is what makes this sheet so amazing. It is a slick material that allows you to glide with EASE every time you want to move. It literally feels like you are gliding on air.  If you know me you will know that I am a skeptic. And truth be told, I was very skeptical about this sheet actually doing what it advertises. But the morning after I first slept on this sheet I was completely convinced.  Ok, back to Miranda. Remember how she wasn't getting any sleep at all? Not after the first night! She loved this sheet. The next day she told me that it really worked. She was able to move almost effortlessly (well, as effortlessly as you can carrying twins). Her hip pain diminished... She could turn easier... She was on cloud nine. If only the Elite Sheet could have stopped her heartburn. :)  Seriously, folks. You owe it to yourself to purchase one of these sheets. It will be the smartest money you have ever spent. If you have any of the aforementioned problems - the Elite Sheet is the solution you have been praying for!  Many thanks go out to Peggy. You agreed to a simple product review and, in turn, you helped my very pregnant, physically miserable wife get the sleep she was longing for. Thank you so much. You truly do have an amazing product! God Bless!!  Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Expressive Thoughts Vinyl Decal Review

I recently received a vinyl family decal from Expressive Thoughts Vinyl.They agreed to allow me to review one of those family decals you've probably alreadyseen on a lot of vehicles. You know the ones I'm talking about. They have the husband, wife, kids andmaybe a family pet. 
 I am thrilled at the quality of these decals. I put me, my wife, our twins and our dog, Kain in the decal.See the pic below to see exactly what I ordered.

The best part about these decals is that you can customize each person to exactly what you want them to look like. Most websites have stock images, but Expressive Thoughts Vinyl allows you to choose hair styles, facial hair, clothes, clothes decorations, heads, etc... 
They do wonderful work. Another good thing about them is that once they work up your order, they e-mail you before they cut it and ship it so you can make sure they got it right. It is an extra step but it is well worth it. Who wants to get their order and it be wrong? Not me. And they are SO super easy to apply. You just peel the back, apply it to your clean window, press firmly over the entire decal to be sure all parts stick well, then slowly peel off the front. That's it!  I've gotten a lot of positive feedback on the decal. Most people who ask about it want to know where they can get one - especially once I tell them they can customize every aspect of it.  Thanks ETV. We LOVE the decal and will be back to order again!! Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Purely Products Healthy CFL Review

  Being a new parent is scary. You never know what types of products are good for baby.Will this make them sick?Can this hurt them?Is this the best I can give my boys?
When it comes to lighting my home, freshening the air, removing (possible) mold spores, pet dander, and dust from the air, there is only one product that we have started using in our home that tackles all of these things.The Purely Products Healthy CFL. 

  This amazing light bulb (CFL) has an air purifier built in! It works by ionizing the air around it making it fresher, cleaner and ultimately SAFER for our entire family. And it is all done by emitting negative ions into the air. Negative ions counteract the harmful effects of positive ions which are produced by electronics and household materials. The negative ions also boost serotonin levels which, in turn, slightly increase the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain. If that doesn't make you feel good I don't know what will.
We have about 4-5 of these in our home and we will slowly increase that number until every room in our home has one. Why not feel better in every room, right?
Need proof that it works? Just click here and play the very short video. It can give you a lot more information and can answer any questions you may have about these wonderful little units. And as of 11/4/2010, they still have their sale going on.You can get a 2-pack of these awesome lights/air purifiers for ONLY $19.95.You can't get that kind of clean air that cheap anywhere else.

Purely Products is a great company with a high moral background. In fact, they have another company called DiaperLove. This organization provides diapers to those families in need. How awesome is that?     Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

A Taste of Pics to Come

We had Cooper and Carter's newborn pictures taken at a local photographer's shop a few weeks ago and she sent us a preview picture last night. It is the only one we've seen so far and judging by this pic, we are SO excited about seeing the rest!
I know some of you aren't Auburn fans (bless your hearts). So aside from your possible lack of agreement about the background and props, what do you think?
 

   Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Guest Post - Top 5 Ways to Handle Having Twins

Suzy, editor of SureBaby.com, has been gracious enough to give us a few pointers on how to handle twins. See the post below for some great tips.

The Top 5 Ways to Handle Having Twins

If you've just found out you're having twins, don't panic! Many women cannot tell based on their pregnancy symptoms alone that they are in fact having twins, so it can be a surprise. Here are five effective ways to prepare your life for this major and marvelous change.

1. Put it down on paper. Whatever schedule and budget you may have already worked out will now have to be taken back to the drawing board. Sitting down and taking the time to write these things out, and keeping them where you can easily see, refer to and adjust them as needed is hugely beneficial in helping you maintain a sense of organization and not feel overwhelmed as you plan for your babies' arrival.

2. Shop secondhand. Many people expecting one baby already practice this smart money-saving strategy, but it becomes twice the lifesaver when you suddenly find yourself having to shop for two times the baby clothes, two high chairs, two cribs, a two-seater stroller, etc. You can find a wealth of options in stores and on websites devoted to selling gently used items, as well as at local yard sales.

3. Buy in bulk. It will save you time as well as money. Buy at least a month's worth of things you know you'll need a lot of, like non-perishable baby food and diapers, in economy sizes -- not only is bigger usually cheaper, but stocking up on supplies means fewer trips to the store.

4. Prepare your home well in advance. The more time you take to make the physical changes to your home that are necessary when you're expecting twins, the less stressed out you are likely to feel about them. But completing the nursery, baby-proofing and otherwise getting your house ready as soon as possible is also playing the odds, since twins often arrive weeks early.

5. If you have other children, prepare them well in advance, too. Children who will be the older siblings of the twins, especially if they are still young themselves, may feel increased anxiety upon learning that they are now going to have to share you with not just one baby, but two. Be sure to spend time with them regularly, and assure them that you will continue to do so even after the twins are born. Try to include them in the preparation process; for example, have them help to choose the paint color and decorations for the babies' room(s). You definitely want to try and avoid sibling rivalry.

   Thanks, Suzy! Great info. I've looked over your site and found some more very good, useful information.Feel free to let me know when you want to do another informational post for us.   Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

To All Mothers of Multiples - I Need Advice

Plain and simple:How in the world do you sleep when your twin sons (or any combination of twin sexes) grunts constantly and wakes the other one up all night?
It is the weirdest thing. They absolutely can not sleep separately in their own bassinet because the moment we lay them down they start this grunting ritual. Even if they are dead asleep they'll wake up grunting. And it goes back and forth... Carter will grunt, then Cooper, then Carter, then Cooper. If you don't pick them up they eventually start throwing a fit. What gives?
Is it bad of me to suggest to my sleep-deprived wife that we let them grunt it out? Will that work? Will they go back to sleep eventually?  We need advice and suggestions.
I'm basically asking all the multiples parents on Multiples and More. There seems to be a lot of experience with twins there. Help! :)
  Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Emotionally Healthy Twins - Book Review

Emotionally HealthyTwins

  I was recently given the opportunity to review a book written by Joan A. Friedman, Ph.D. I was sent a copy of Emotionally Healthy Twins directly from the author.  Over the past few months I've read this book (when I had extra time) and have drawn a conclusion... this author really knows what she is talking about.  This collection of ideas and truths is the most valuable piece of literature I've collected in my search for twin resources over the past 10 months. From explaining the uniqueness of each twin to preteens and teens, from advice on preparing for two individual babies to young adults, this book is a must-have now and will be a must-have on into young adulthood. It is not a book you read and discard. You will keep this book for years to come and I guarantee you will refer back to it and its plethora of wisdom. To satisfy your curiosity, the chapters are as follows:
1. Two Unique Children
2. Mentally Preparing for Two Separate Babies
3. Babyhood
4. Fathers and Babies, Fathers and Mothers
5. The Preschool Years
6. Elementary School Kids
7. Preteens and Teens
8. Two Young Adults
Including:
Resource GuideAcknowledgmentsIndex  Each chapter gives helpful insights to the specified time frame and is laid out in straightforward, to-the-point ways. A little humor is also thrown into the mix. Every section is absolutely packed to the hilt with extremely valuable information.  Emotionally Healthy Twins was a lifesaver for us. I can almost guarantee it will be one for you as well.

Special thanks to Joan Friedman Ph.D. for sending me a copy.Giveaway coming soon!

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Similac Has Been Recalled

Please go here to check to see if your Similac item is part of the recall!! Similac Product Recall Lookup  I've been trying to log on for a while now but the website is being slammed.Good luck! 
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Pictures of Our Twins

Hey everyone. Sorry I am a day later than I initially told you getting pictures up. As you can imagine, it is pretty hectic around here right now. Even with my mother-in-law staying with us.
Can't remember if I told you, but here are the boys' information at birth.
Carter: 5 lbs 6 oz and 20 inches long Cooper: 6 lbs 10 oz and 20 1/2 inches long I'm not going to take up space writing captions with the pictures. I know they will probably not be read anyway. haha Everyone just wants to SEE the babies. So without wasting anymore of your time...
Look out world... Carter and Cooper have arrived!! 

 (Ok, maybe one caption. Miranda HATES me for posting this one.But it is the only picture of all of us together so far.)

Everyone is doing great. We've seen most of our family and friends, but are still waiting patiently to see the rest of them. Miranda is doing very well despite the fact that she had to be put under general anesthesia since the spinal that was attempted 5 times didn't take. It numbed her from the knees down instead of the chest down. I wasn't in the room for the delivery because it wasn't allowed. But only about 4-5 minutes after I gave her a kiss and left the room, they walked out with my two boys. And just as everyone told me... that feeling was the most unexpected, most wonderful feeling I've ever felt.
The boys had their first doctor's visit today and they passed the tests and exams with flying colors. Everything is perfectly fine. Both are gaining weight and flourishing. The first night at home was interesting to say the least. Night two (last night) was a lot better. We're hoping tonight is even better. Only time will tell.

  Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Pics Coming Tomorrow (9/13)

Just a VERY quick note to let everyone know that pics of the twins will be posted tomorrow.PLEASE come check them out! Thank you, sweet Jesus for our little precious bundles!


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Our Miracles Have Arrived!

Cooper and Carter Robertson arrived yesterday at 10:11 and 10:12 repectively.

Cooper: 6 lbs 10 oz - 20 1/2 inches

Carter: 5 lbs 9 oz - 20 inches

Both have a good amount of brown hair.

This post will be short seeing as how I'm having to blog from my phone and my fingers are too big to hit the keys correctly and I'm having to backspace and correct every other word. :) Please be patient with us. Pics coming soon.

Thank you, God!

Tomorrow We Meet Our Sons

Well, the day is almost here. Tomorrow (Thursday 9/9/10) we finally get to meet our twin boys. The emotions felt right now are the most conflicting emotions I've ever felt. It truly is a roller coaster ride. My stomach is in knots, then the butterflies start fluttering, then the nausea sets in, depression taunts me for a while (mainly from the worry of possibly not being a good enough daddy)... Then, as if by the miracle of divine intervention, it all vanishes in the blink of an eye and the happiness, elation, joy, happy tears and pride floods this 240 pound body.
Then... it all starts over and continues the aforementioned emotional thrill ride.  "Nothing can prepare you..." is right. No one told me that the pre-birth jitters would hit like this.No one clued me in to what all I'd feel in the few days before the big event. Not one, single, solitary soul offered an ounce in information in regards to how I should go about handling this unmentioned, yet apparently inevitable, sensory overload. 
 We visited and had dinner with my family tonight and before going out to eat, mom asked me what was wrong. She immediately concluded that I was tired - and I quickly agreed since she gave me an instant 'out.' The truth is, I'm scared to death. I took the 'out' so I wouldn't have to show my fear. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy and extremely excited about my twin sons' arrival, but at the same time I have no idea what to do when they get here... Will I teach by example? Will I be a good enough daddy? Will I do right by them?
I do know one thing for absolute certainty. I will not... I repeat, I will NOT be an absent father like my biological father. I will teach my boys how to be men by parenting in the exact opposite way that that man did. The details are possibly for another post at a much later date... Long story short... I will model my parenting after two people...
#1. Bill Cosby. Sure, you laugh now, but watch a few episodes of The Cosby Show and tell me he wasn't a great father.
 #2. Terry Richardson. He married my mother when I was 12. It took me a while to realize it during my adolescent years, but after growing up I came to the conclusion that he is a father. He raised us and taught us. He taught by example. I know how to be and act like a man because of him. And since I've been an adult we've became best of friends. Having a father that is also your friend is priceless. I know I can be that for my sons. And without Terry I wouldn't have had a clue. For a little more insight, go listen to "He Didn't Have to Be" by Brad Paisley. Great song...
 I know I'll (we'll) make mistakes along the way just like every other parent does. But it really is a legitimate fear. I know I shouldn't let it bother me as much as it does. And from this moment forward I'm really going to try and get over it and just let nature take its course.
--------------------   Miranda has done a wonderful job incubating these little rascals. As of today she is 36 weeks 1 day pregnant. No one thought she'd make it to 34 weeks when she dilated to 3cm at 30 weeks. But by the grace of God (and a little help from 8-a-day Brethine tablets) she made it. And then she was determined to go the extra mile - which she has.
The doctor has been very pleased throughout this pregnancy and has green-lighted a C-section to take place tomorrow at 9am. Miranda, although having gone that extra mile, is exhausted. We both love seeing them move and feeling them move (the hiccups and full body rolls are the best!) but she says "It is SO time for them to come out!" I know I can't fully understand, but from observing her the past month I can see that she has physically declined at a pretty steady pace. She's healthy, mind you - I mean walking around, moving in bed, heartburn, etc... it has really gotten to her and worn her down. So if delivering these children 3 weeks early will help her and since they will be completely capable of out-of-the-womb life, I'm all for it.  ---------------------- So... This will be my last post until at least Thursday evening... maybe a day or two longer. It all depends on how busy everything is, how the boys and Miranda are doing, and, of course, the speed of the hospital WiFi connection. :)
Please pray for us and our boys. Please pray that Miranda has a 100% safe and uncomplicated C-section and that the boys are healthy. Please do not pray for me at this time. I'm good. I can take care of my emotions. Those, come Thursday morning, will be the very last thing on Earth I will be thinking about. I will be in 'pray for Miranda and the boys' mode and I ask that you be as well. I want nothing more than to be able to come home from the hospital with two healthy sons and a wife who is recovering satisfactorily from the C-section. Pictures coming in a few days... how EXCITING!! Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Babies Hiccuping in the Belly and More Good News

I finally got some semi-decent video of one of our little guys hiccuping and rolling in Miranda's belly.Check it out below. It's not great quality since it was taken with my phone but you can definitely tell what's going on. :) You'll have to pay attention and look kind-of close...

Isn't it amazing?? How awesome is it that you can see and feel that from the outside.
 Now that we've seen that, there is more good news... The doctor has now set a date for C-section: September 9th @9am.Our boys' birthday will be 9-9-10.
Also...
We just bought a new vehicle. Well, it is new to us.We got a GREAT deal on a 2005 Ford Expedition. It is a very clean, one owner vehicle with plenty of roomfor our two little bundles. We are so lucky to have stumbled across this deal when we did. We jumped on it and took it with hardly any hesitation.
Here are some pics of the vehicle:

The price on the windshield is not what we paid.They came waaay off that price... that's why I said we got a great deal.It lists for between $12k and $13k. The good Lord above had His hand in that one. :)
The boys are over 5 pounds each right now and Miranda has a belly that is the size of someone carrying a single baby and who is 2 weeks overdue. So, she's got a size 42 week belly and she's thrilled about it (did you pick up on the sarcasm?).
One more ultrasound next week and then the week after that we'll meet our little ones.It just doesn't get any more exciting than this. 
As for everything being ready... the truck will be detailed professionally next week and then we'll install the car seats. The nursery is finished except for the letters for the boys' names that a good friend of ours is making for us...  Clothes... 

 Diapers...

 Wipes...

 Everything else...

(hopefully)

Superb Parenting Skills...(non-existent as of yet, but with any luck...)


Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!

Zuvo Winner Selected

Congratulations toBonny!!

You are the winner to the $300 Zuvo Water Filtration System.

 The winner was randomly chosen according to the posted rules at Random.org.

  I have sent an e-mail to the winner. Please respond within 48 hours (by 7:00pm 8/27/2010) or another winner will be selected.
Thanks to all who entered. :)   Comments Are Always Welcome! Click Below to Do So!!